Please click on the photographs to see larger images
Today, Sunday, March 11, 2007, was the day of the SantaBanta.com Womens Car Rally and North Colours Vintage and Classic Car Rally. Both events ran simultaneously and J D Ghai, the CEO of SantaBanta.com, said this was the first time in India that two different rallies were part of the same event.
My brother Ravi and nephew Angad joined me at the flag off of the event at the Lake Club in Chandigarh. Thanks to H Kishie Singh, I have been involved with rallies for many years and this was a good time to catch up with friends like Vijay Parmar, Raswinder Singh Dhaliwal, both college mates, and many others who share that particular passion
It was also the time to be among a bevy of beauties. You know, classic cars have class; each is a style statement, and these were lovingly maintained vehicles. Of course, you had the latest vehicles too, and one knew many of the drivers and navigators it was essential for the couples to drive and navigate together.
Mrs Harjinder Kaur, Mayor of Chandigarh, flagged off the rally for the ladies, and for the classics the organisers, SantaBanta.com, is one of the more successful entertainment portals, and roped in Mr H S Mattewal, Advocate General, Punjab. It was fun to be there .the photographs, some taken by Angad, will tell you why.
After the flag-off, the cars travelled 120 km to Kiarighat, near Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, where the event terminated and lunch followed.
Even a drizzle in the evening did not dampen the spirits of the participants and the organisers as that gathered at the Chandigarh Golf Academy for prize giving, everyone was a winner, and a dinner.